“I don’t believe I care to go for a flight,” Amick mutters.
“Me neither,” Creed agrees.
“How about a tour of areallibrary? Millennia of history.” Caspian smirks, and Amick’s attention snaps to him immediately. “And food from around the realms.”
He obviously clocked Creed’s likes as well.
The strokes of Kyzen’s fingers along my back still as Willow’s and Tillman’s gazes flick to him. No words pass between them, but the nod Kyzen gives is deliberate.
“Find comfort in each other and know that this doesn’t rest on just your shoulders. Lean on each other and your friends. Check in on them. None of them expect you to carry this alone.”
Willow’s gaze meets each of ours for a heavy moment. Before she can turn away, I step forward. The question I’ve been holding back finally breaks free.
“What are you going to the barrier for?”
She meets my eyes without hesitation.
“To bring my people home.”
Shock roots all of us in place.
So that’s where the Elementrians have been hiding.
“Until next time,” she whispers.
“Wait, next—”
And they’re gone.
No light. No portal. No warning.
One blink and the meadow is emptier than it was before.
The lingering power fades, and my shoulders sag under the weight of everything I’ve been given.
It wasn’t answers. Not really.
Just…the direction to go with the responsibility I wish like fuck we didn’t have.
“Thayla,” Kyzen breathes.
My head spins as he whirls me around. He doesn’t waste a second crashing his lips against mine and squashing the Gods Binding, plus the vials between us as he tugs me to his chest.
I couldn’t give a fuck less about that as I give myself over to him.
His comfort.
My free hand rests on his racing heart, and I refuse to break our kiss until it slows.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispers against my lips. “We failed you this—”
“No. No one failed anyone.”
Well…we all failed those poor people.
Fuck.
My soul pinches tight, and Creed grunts, snatching me out of Kyzen’s embrace. He grips and turns my jaw from side to side, searching for something, but I’m not sure what. I clench his wrist and lean into his hand.
